Album Title: Hard Metal Cantüs

Composer: D. J. Sparr

Catalogue number: Innova 060

0726708606022

1. Lost in the Old South Tower - 8:35

The Lee Trio

Lisa Lee, Violin | Angela Lee, Cello | Melinda Lee Masur, Piano

2. Percussion Quartet: Compass Chrome - 9:20

Third Coast Percussion

David Skidmore, Robert Dillon, Peter Martin, & Sean Connors, Percussion.

3. Superstring Serenade – 7:00

Del Sol String Quartet

Sam Weiser & Benjamin Kreith, Violins | Charlton Lee, viola | Kathryn Bates, Cello | + Michel Taddei, Double Bass

With Every Gust of Wind: Four Haiku – 10:56

Lubbock Chamber Orchestra

Eric Allen, Conductor | Corbin DeSpain, Tenor | Wonkyung Kim-Sills, Piano

4. I. With Every Gust of Wind - 2:45

5. II. Four Haiku - 2:13

6. III. Wild Piercing Voice - 2:29

7. IV. Clouds Will Separate Us - 3:29

The World Within – 10:15

8. what you are - 2:24

9. who you are - 2:35

10. what you want - 3:04

11. how to get it - 2:12

Alex Browne, basses | Chris DeChiara, Drums | Karen Galvin, Violins | Soloman Howard, Spoken Voice | Aundi Moore, Spoken Voice | Neemias Santos, Cello | D. J. Sparr, Guitars, Whistles, & Electronics | Kimberly Sparr, Viola | Richard White, Spoken Voice

Composer and electric guitarist D. J. Sparr, who Gramophone recently hailed as “exemplary,” is one of America’s preeminent composer-performers. He has caught the attention of critics with his eclectic style, described as “pop-Romantic…iridescent and wondrous” (The Mercury News) and “suits the boundary erasing spirit of today’s new-music world” (The New York Times). The Los Angeles Times praises him as “an excellent soloist,” and the Santa Cruz Sentinel says that he “wowed an enthusiastic audience…Sparr’s guitar sang in a near-human voice.” He was the electric guitar concerto soloist on the 2018 GRAMMY award-winning, all-Kenneth Fuchs recording with JoAnn Falletta and the London Symphony Orchestra. In 2011, Sparr was named one of NPR listener’s favorite 100 composers under the age 40. He has composed for and performed with renowned ensembles such as the Houston Grand Opera, Cabrillo Festival, New World Symphony, Washington National Opera, and Eighth Blackbird. His music has received awards from BMI, New Music USA, and the League of Composers/ISCM. Sparr is a faculty member at the famed Walden School’s Creative Musicians Retreat in Dublin, New Hampshire. His works and guitar performances appear on Naxos, Innova Recordings, and Centaur Records.

D. J. lives in Baton Rouge, LA with his wife Kimberly, son Harris, Nannette the hound dog, and Bundini the boxer. Sparr’s music is published by Bill Holab Music.

Tracks 1 and 3 recorded at the Scoring Stage, Skywalker Sound (Nicasio, CA) by David v.R. Bowles.

Track 2 recorded at Electrical Audio (Chicago, IL) by Dan Nichols. Mixed by Dan Nichols & David v.R. Bowles.

Tracks 4-7 recorded at LakeRidge United Methodist Church (Lubbock, TX) by Scott Faris. Assistant engineers: Gunner Driver, Derek Bohl and Christopher Reynolds.

Tracks 8-11 recorded at the home studios of each performer. Mixed by Scott Faris at the Amusement Park Studio (Lubbock, Texas). Mix assistants: Gunner Driver and Christopher Reynolds. Mastered by Fred Kevorkian (Brooklyn, NY).

All other tracks mixed and mastered at Swineshead Productions, LLC (Berkeley, CA) by David v.R. Bowles.

Hard Metal Cantüs produced by D. J. Sparr & David v.R. Bowles

Image Credit and Album Design by Greg Korn